Change tariff?

Sep 30, 2026 Last reply: 42 minutes ago 3 Replies

First reply

Peter Able

I switched to a 18-month fix for Gas from Octopus at a unit rate of 8.08p yesterday. Very little more than their capped price as of tomorrow. Worth the 5 minutes to do so. Is your life so profitable that you can't spare five minutes - or are you a winging nihilist? As for this…

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I'm currently on standard variable with EDF. Over the last 12 months the bill has totalled £2055.93. (inc 5% VAT) Elec 27.89p per kWh S/C 58.32p per day Gas 7.92p per kWh S/C 36.68p per day



EDF are suggesting changing to a fixed tariff. They are offering:



Simply Tracker Sep27v3 (Expires 1/10/27) - Estimated annual bill £2,373.52 Elec 27.95p per kWh S/C 49.56p per day Gas 8.61p per kWh S/C 30.63p per day



Simply Fixed 2Yr Oct28v2 (Expires 1/11/28) - Estimated annual bill £2,422.19 Elec 27.93p per kWh S/C 56.41 per day Gas 8.60p per kWh S/C 7.48p per day



Simply Fixed Oct27 (Expires 1/11/27) - Estimated annual bill £2,602.26 Elec 29.71p per kWh S/C 47.81p per day Gas 9.92p per kWh S/C 29.16p per day



(The estimated annual bills for the fixed tariffs include elec at 0% VAT and gas at 5% VAT. EDF base my annual usage figures as follows: Elec - 3,091 kWh Gas - 14,139 kWh)



The price cap will increase 4% tomorrow, and now they expect another 20% in January. Adding another 25% to my current bill brings it close to the estimated bills of the fixed tariffs, so is it worth bothering? No doubt there are other suppliers with cheaper tariffs based on having a smart meter, and paying by DD, but I'm sure that EDF have those too.



Can anyone explain why the standing charge changes across tariffs? Aren't those costs behind those charges more-or-less fixed?


I switched to a 18-month fix for Gas from Octopus at a unit rate of

8.08p yesterday. Very little more than their capped price as of tomorrow.

Worth the 5 minutes to do so. Is your life so profitable that you can't spare five minutes - or are you a winging nihilist?

As for this contract's Standing Charge, there is about 1p difference in favour of the Fixed rate contract - which I don't intend to contest. {As I light yet another thick cigar with a £50 note.}

Ouch. I recently looked at the prices at Outfox and the gas price started with a 6... although maybe the futures market has moved on. Did you try a comparison site?

They're just a pricing knob. All the tariffs have is a straight line y = mx + c

where y is the bill, x is the number of units, m is the price per unit and c is the standing charge. They offer various tariffs with different m and c to target different markets - heavy users, light users. The standing charge is just the fixed part of this formula. You can be sure they get the money either way, whether some of it is part of the unit cost or not. They know the spread of customers' consumption and so they set the tariffs so the house wins either way.

Theo

Well, I'm pleased that you and I are in agreement. I just didn't know exactly hoe they calculated things.

I'm not so much of a "winging nihilist" (see reply to my OP) as a "whinging cynic". I believe that /nothing/ the energy companies do is ever for our benefit, but always works to their advantage. Heads they win, tails you lose...

I did sign up to a fixed rate, so the war in the Middle East will soon be over and the prices will drop. Just my good turn of the day. ;-)

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